The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas is on the Spring Carnival agenda for Merchant Navy who kept his unbeaten record intact with a solid win in the Group 3 $150,000 H.D.F McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield today.
Merchant Navy, above, will now head to the Caulfield Guineas after winning the HDF McNeil Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Ciaron Maher trained Merchant Navy made it four wins from four starts and wrapped up an early winning treble on Memsie Stakes Day for jockey Mark Zahra who had already visited the winner’s stall on Oregon’s Day and Mr Sneaky.
As well as the Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 14, Maher is keen to head north to Sydney for the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 23.
“He is a very exciting colt, he has a great record and you love to see them resume like that,” Maher said.
“He put the writing on the wall with his trials and he has furnished.”
“Great signs for the future. He was quite a raw colt and wanted to get on with it as a two year old and now he has furnished into a well-rounded race horse.”
“Three weeks now into the Golden Rose and then back down here for the Guineas.”
Zahra didn’t bustle Merchant Navy ($3.50 favourite) in the early stages and let him settle near the tail of the ten horse field before letting him stride down the middle of the track to overhaul runner up Booker ($6) with Muraahib ($19) in third place.
